Have at it folks.
Why does he make you want to barf?
I think Roberts will be declaring with his vote on this issue whether he is really a strict constructionist or simply an authoritarian conservative. And I'm wondering whether the Court will delay the release of the opinion until after Miers' confirmation hearings.
How about this. You want to die? Do it yourself.
I'm a pro-life as they come, but we've gotten into a lot of problems as a country by trying to take the shorter road. I don't like Euthanasia at all, but I can't find any provision in the constituion forbidding it. If the people of Oregon feel it important for someone to end their life, then the feds should drop it. Conservatives can't have their cake and eat it too.
For instance does the state's right to off its citizens override due process and equal protection?
Euthanasia will probably grow into a social event.
Actually, all the courts will be deciding on is if doctors can use federally classified drugs to end a life. If the doctors in Oregon want to, I guess they could shoot people, or operate and take out their hearts etc.
I do however worry that allowing assisted suicide will open up doors that we don't want to. What is to stop the assisted portion of it to be limited to ones doctor? And what if your personal doctor says no? Should you be able to doctor shop until you find one who agrees to kill you? Should you be able to employ any person of your choosing to kill you? If not, why not? Is there something special about doctors that makes them the only ones capable of legally killing you?
How long until state ordered killings start?
I am an Oregonian. I voted against physician assisted suicide and would be happy to do so again.
It ought to be overturned for the following reasons.
1. Suicide = insanity. People who want to kill themselves are not mentally or emotionally capable of making such a decisions.
2. There are alternatives to suicide for people who are suffering.
3. The constitution allows Congress to regulate interstate trade. The drugs in question are sold in interstate trade, therefore Congress may regulate their use. If they choose to do so, federal law trumps state law.
4. If people want to kill themselves, they should just do it and not make the State of Oregon a party to their foolishness.
5. Who died and made physicians God?
6. The potential for abuse is just too great. Oregon will be the big vacation spot for the affluent and sick elderly and their greedy relatives in 2010, (the one year period in which the estate tax is phased out under current tax law).
The constitution does not speak to suicide, so neither should the federal gvt.
This issue is an easy one.
Just like with abortion, it should be left up to the states.
That is the only acceptable conservative position.
This is a state issue and the Feds have no constitutional authority to ram their power down Oregonians' throats. No, I would not vote for a state sentator or state rep who advocated this for my state. But under our federal system, Oregon unquestionably has the right to do this.
If we were not so conditioned to federal presidents, congresses, and courts ignoring the 9th & 10th amendments and trampling on the authority of the states, I don't think this would even be debated.
I didn't read the whole thing, but to me it's a 10th Amend. case.
It's not something I could or would do, but I don't like the FEDERAL Gov. telling all of us what THEY say we should do. This is 'left to the States, and to the people.'
Has it occured to anyone that this is a subject much like Roe??? You don't like the FEDS telling us that, do you.
Think, people.
The first case Roberts heard on the Supreme Court was actually about whether workers must be compensated for the time having to wait around and walk around at their factory in order to get set up for their job.
Of course, when "core human issues" are on the line, such as a woman killing a baby, then this hack is all about the feds getting involved via Roe v. Wade instead of leaving that issue to the people in each state.
What also makes me want to barf are the Libertarian-types who agree with the leftists. And now, strangely enough, the bots who condoned Terri Shiavo's murder will join them.
Roberts has a chance to win my support here. I'm also interested in the opinions of Scalia and Thomas.
Right, so let's send that pesky Roe v Wade decision back to the states while we're at it.
There are two, rational, strict constructionist approaches that would reach basically opposite conclusions in this case.
One big caveat: this assumes the law does not lead to involuntary euthenasia. That would be an equal protection issue and the court could rule based on that.
First is the "states rights" or voters/legislatuers vs courts argument. I agree that that very important constitutional principle would lead the court to leave the Oregan law instact. That is how I want the Federal Courts to treat abortion questions, it should be the same in this case. I can still condemn the people and legislature in Oregan, but it is their right to make laws like this.
The second approach, though more limited, relies on the Federal government's powers under the insterstae commerce clause. Regardless of how that has been abused, it is a valid part of the Constitution. That principle allows the Federal government to regulate the uses that pharmaceuticals transported across state lines are used (also the drugs produced in Oregan by companies that operate in multiple states). It would be valid to limit the application of the Oregan law to disallow the prescription of drugs manufactured outside of Oregan for this purpose. To be consistent with the first point I don't believe that the court could rule out all physician assistance, just the prescription of Federally regulated drugs.
Too analytical, huh?
The solution is to prescribe a nonlethal dose of a federally regulated sleeping drug to be administered along with a lethal dose of an inorganic poison not regulated as a drug. the pain of the inorganic poison will be masked by the anethesia.
Both the States and the feds win.
I pray he's on God's side.